US Army Soldiers Seriously Injured in Brown Bear Attack During Alaska Training Exercise
Two US Army soldiers sustained serious injuries on Thursday after being mauled by a brown bear during a training exercise in a mountainous region of Alaska, according to military officials. The incident occurred during a land navigation training event in the Arctic Valley area, which falls within Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage.
Details of the Attack and Response
The two unidentified servicemembers, who are part of the elite 11th Airborne Division, encountered the bear during their training. According to a press release, the soldiers were equipped with pepper spray and deployed it after the bear leaped at them and initiated the attack. Lieutenant Colonel Jo Nederhoed, a spokesperson for the 11th Airborne Division, confirmed to ABC News that both soldiers suffered serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment at a medical facility in Anchorage.
As of Saturday morning, their conditions had shown improvement, but they will require ongoing care during their recovery process. The division has stated that the incident is under investigation, with close coordination between installation authorities and local wildlife officials to gather all relevant information and ensure the safety of personnel in the area.
Investigation and Wildlife Context
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reported that no bears were found in the immediate area following the attack. Based on their scene investigation and information from other responding agencies, they believe this was a defensive attack by a bear that had recently emerged from its den. Samples collected from the scene will undergo DNA analysis to confirm the species and gender of the bear involved.
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson spans approximately 100 square miles within Anchorage, an area known to host up to 350 black bears and 75 brown bears. There has been no update on the current location or status of the bear involved in this incident, but state authorities continue to investigate.
Background on the 11th Airborne Division
The 11th Airborne Division, also known as the Arctic Angels, is a specialized unit within the US Army trained for missions in extreme cold weather and high-altitude environments. Originally created in 1943 during World War II, the division was disbanded in 1958 and reactivated in the summer of 2022. This elite unit's training exercises, like the one in Alaska, are designed to prepare soldiers for operations in challenging Arctic conditions.
The military emphasizes that such training events are crucial for maintaining readiness, though they acknowledge the inherent risks when operating in areas with significant wildlife populations. The investigation into this bear attack will likely inform future safety protocols for training exercises in bear habitats.
